Manufacture of metal alloys



Patented Nov. 15, I926. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL DUHME, CD13 IBERLIN-CHARLOTTENBURG. GERMANY. ASSIGNOR TO SIEMENS 8c HALSKE, AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, F SIEMENSSTADT, BERLIN, A CORPORATION OF GERMANY.

MANUFACTURE OF METAL ALLOYS.

80 Drawing. Application iledllayj, 1925, Serial No. 42.051. and in Germany August 2, 1524.

My invention relates to improvements in ents, owing to the tine and lmumgouonus 56 the manufacture of metal alloys. distribution during the nmnlgamiziugr proc- My improved pr cess for producing mctul css already fuse into each other liolnu' the alloys consists essentially in combining or melting temperature of the alloy. ()t' a mixing the metals to be alloyed with nu-rcourse the lower the temperature at Wlllrll cury into an amalgam and then removing the alloy is melted the smallcr will be the 60 the mercury from this amalgam so that the evaporation losses in the individual l'(lllalloy remains. stiluenls.

In the known processes for the munufm-- The novel prruto's' (-uu ho mupliu'vd (or 10 ture of metal alloys it is difiicult to attain alloying any metals whi h will form an an alloy of accurately predeterminablo comamalgam with mercury. M position. This clitl'lculty arises from tho For instance it might be desired t pr fact that, in the known processes the con llu'v an alloy f copper and gold tho all y stituents of the alloys are mixed together rrquil'ing the contents of 40% roppcr and 16 by melting or fusing them individually and ougz. old, Th melting point. of this allo that frequently losses are unavoidable in is approximately880 C. The melting poim this process, particularly inconstitucnts of the individual constituents is cousidorhaving a low fusing point. Even when the ably higher. copper melting at approximetals are mixed together in formof powmatcly 1084" C. and gold at 10bit". \Yh n 2 ders a molecular mixture of the individual heretofore the alloy was made without lb:- constitucnts does. not always happen. These aid of mercury and in the old well known drawbacks are eliminated in my improved manner it. was necessary to heat the two nuprocess, because the mercury is the solvent chanically mixed metals to the melting for the individual constituents ofthe alloy point of copper thus to approximately and thus a molecular mixture of the metals H00" (3., which would entail certain losses in the mercury takes place in my process. in the amount of copper by oxidation and 50 The improved process may, for instance, other incidental reactions, whereas accordbe carried out in the following manner: ing to the process of the prcscnt invention It The metals to he alloyed are first emporfcctly homogeneous alloy is obtained so bodied in the mercury in pulverized form. which will melt at 850 at \\'l\h'l1 no los es No losses of any kind occur thereby. 4 lJurin the constituents by evaporation or oxida- B5 ing this process the metals are dissolved in lion can he observed. the mercury and form amalgams. If thcrc- If for instance in another case the meltupon the mercury in any well known maning point of the alloy should lie between nor, for instance by eva oration in a the melting point of its constituent clovacuum is removed from this amalgam the ments, the following condition exists. Let W desired alloy remains as a. porous mass. us assume for instance an alloy of copper Since mercury evaporates already at 100 and zinc to be roduced. If the two metals 120 C and since almost all metals have a are mixed toget ier and heated, the zinc will fusing point by far higher than that no melt at. approximately 419 C. If it is losses of the alloy metals will occur during desired to ave 10% copper, this copper on 95 this evaporation rocess. further heating the mixture will already When this ama gum is formed so fine and melt below its own melting point by dishomogeneous a distribution of the individsolving in the molten zinc, However, a us] constituents of the alloys occurs that complete alloying between the copper and after the mercury has been removed in the the zinc will occur only at about 850 F. 'nanner indicated above the perfectly homo- At this high temperature some of the zinc geneous alloy will melt at the melting point is likely to be lost by oxidation or cvaporaof the alloy and not; as is otherwise the case tion and thus the final product would not at the melting tem ereturc of the constitucontain the percentages of \(lllllXilll'l-' ml ent which has the ighert melting temperainally intended. ture. In fact it, is not even necessary to heat If on the other hand according to llathe porous mass to the melting temperaresent process the two metals have first ture of the alloy since the metal constitueen joined into an amalgam by means of llltl mercury and if then mercury is subsequently removed the melting point of the alloy is at approximately 580 C. The losses of zinc which in this case has already been alloyed with the copper before that temperature is reached are so small, though this melting point may be above that of zinc, that practically they may be disregarded.

Thus aside from the fact that in the process according to the present invention by far smaller losses of the constituents would occur and that consequently the alloy will be quite exact as intended, the further advantage of the novel process resides in the fact that the alloy is absolutely homogeneous, because already before the porous mass is remelted a thorough mixture of the individual constituents has occurred while they were amalganmlcrl with the mrrcur lrefer'ably the individual metals to be alloyed are incorporated with the mercury in an electrolytic manner, the mercury being employed as depositing cathode. Hereby a. articularl uniform mixture of the iuclivi ual constituents of the alloy takes place. The incorporation of the constitucuts to be alloyed with the mercury takes furthermore place in their purest state. The improved process thus enables the manufacture of metal alloys of a composition which may be accurately predetermined.

Various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of my invention and I desire therefore that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art.

I claim as my invention 1. The process for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in mixing the metals to be alloyed with mercury into an amalgam and subsequently removing the mercury again from the amalgam and then melting the porous alloy product into a solid mass.

2. The process for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in incorporating the metals to be alloyed electrolytically with mercury and subsequently removing the mercury again from the amal am and then melting the porous alloy product into a solid mass.

3. Theprocess for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in mixing the metals to be alloyed with mercury into an amalgam and subsequently removing the mercury again from the amalgam by evaporating the mercury in a vacuum and then melting the porous alloy product into a solid mass;

4. The process for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in incorporating the metals to be alloyed electrolytically with mercury and subsequently removing the mercury again from the amalgam by evaporating the mercury in a vacuum and then melting the porous alloy product into a solid mass.

5. The process for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in pulverizing the metals tube alloyed, mixing them with mercury into an amalgam and removing the mercury from the amalgam and then melting the porous alloy product into a solid mass.

6. The process for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in pulverizing the metals to be alloyed, mixing them with mercury into an ama gum and removing the mercury from the amalgam by evaporating the mercury in a vacuum and then melting the porous alloy product into a solid mass.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signatu re.

EMIL DUHME.

mercury and if then mercury is subsequently removed the melting point of the alloy is at approximately 580 C. The losses of zinc which in this case has already been alloyed with the copper before that temperature is reached are so small, though this melting point may be above that of zinc, that practically they may be disregarded.

Thus aside from the fact that in the process according to the present invention by far smaller losses of the constituents would occur and that consequently the alloy will be quite exact as intended, the fur ther advantage of the novel process resides in the fact that the alloy is absolutely homogeneous, because already before the porous mass is renielted a thorough mixture of the individual constituents has occurred while they were amalgamated with the 11101" cur Preferably the individual metals to be alloyed are incorporated with the mercury in an electrolytic manner, the mercury be ing employed as depositing cathode. Hereby a particularly uniform mixture of the individual constituents of the alloy takes place. The incorporation of the constituents to be alloyed with the mercury takes furthermore place in their purest state. The improved process thus enables the manufacture of metal alloys of a composition which may be accurately predetermined.

Various modifications and changes may be made Without departing from the spirit and the scope of my invention and I desire therefore that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art.

I claim as my invention 1. The process for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in mixing the metals to be alloyed with mercury into an amalgam and subsequently removing the mercury again from the amalgam and then melting the porous alloy product into a solid mass.

2. The process for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in incorporating the metals to be alloyed electrolytically with mercury and subsequently removing the mercury again from the amal am and then melting the porous alloy pro not into a solid mass.

3. The process for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in mixing the metals to be alloyed with mercury into an amalgam and subsequently removing the mercury again from the amalgam by evaporating the mercury in a vacuurn and then melting the porous alloy product into a solid mass;

4. The process for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in incorporating the metals to be alloyed electrolytically with mercury and subsequently removing the mercury again from the amalgam by evaporating the mercury in a vacuum and then melting the porous alloy product into a solid mass.

5. The process for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in pulverizing the metals to be alloyed, mixing them with mercury into an amalgam and removing the mercury from the amalgam and then melting the porous alloy product into a solid mass.

6. The process for the manufacture of metal alloys which consists in pulverizing the metals to be alloyed, mixing them with mercury into an amalgam and removing the mercury from the amalgam by evaporating the mercury in a vacuum and then melting the porous alloy product into a solid mass.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature.

EMIL DUHME.

Certificate of Correction.

. uiring correction as line 7, date of filingapplication, said Letters Patentconform to the record 7, 1925 read July Signed and sealed this 14th day of December, A. D. 1926,.

M. J. MOORE, Acting Oommigsiomr of Patents.

nt No. 1,607,245, granted November 16, e, of Berlin-Oharlottenburg, Germany, f Metal Alloys, an error appears reprinted specification, '7, 1925.; and that the is correction therein that the same may Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,607,245, granted November 16, 1926, upon the application of Emil Duhme, of Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany, for an improvement in The Manufacture of Metal Alloys, an error appears requiring correction as follows: Page 1. in the heading to the printed specification, line 7, date of filingapplication, for May 7, 1925 read July 7, 1.925; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 14th day of December, A. D. 1926.

[m] M. MOORE,

Acting Uommisn'omr of Patents. 

